.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury Updates as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Florida for the greatest activity of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was effectively on his technique to coming to be the very best yield professional in NFL history.The past second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently gotten first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Dish tributes due to the time the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a job- as well as league-high 47 punts along with 3 leading to touchdowns in 2006. He also came back pair of kickoffs for goals as well as racked up after coming back an overlooked basket 108 yards versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of film to examine as they got ready for Chicago's a lot of harmful tool. They had actually observed Hester run a punt back 83 yards for the permission goal to cover off a 20-point return get the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same game to scratch kickoff gain goals of 94 as well as 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece shake inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as selected to get, the Colts delivered the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 seconds to sprint from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end line, 92 backyards away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD yield of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The frustration coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend as the 1st player selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Prominence first and foremost as a kick returner a player that triggered some of one of the most well-known minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester truly began the Super Bowl with a residence telephone call Among the best kick returners ever turns 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually created a strategy for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive crews systems were the most explosive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff coverage as well as 32nd in punt coverage. Listed below is just how that plan ultimately accepted one of the most stimulating plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a hazardous offensive staff. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, return, they had the very best special crews system in the NFL. Bar none. And the best returner, perhaps in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our experts were booting to the sections, we are actually jumping the ball, our team're squibbing it, our team're punting high, or even our experts're punting away from bounds. Our team claimed, 'He's not visiting be an aspect. Our team assume we can regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his returns for touchdowns were puntings, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three punts as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategic plan was actually do not punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, 45 gardens, out of bounds. Compromise some span however carry out not allow him obtain the ball in his hands." Our experts dealt with it the various other technique as well as failed to wish to sacrifice a ton of yardage on first stuff, therefore since our experts've acquired a couple of our starters in there, let's try to pin him in a corner and also observe if our experts can easily overload that edge as well as make an effort to lessen his profit. We practiced that all full week long. It had not been even like our experts were actually stressed to kick a touchback. Our experts were more interested regarding reaching it over in the section, and if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe yet it is actually definitely near the sideline, at that point we can try to box him in a little bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our company're not heading to boot to him. He's also harmful." Days before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains gave a church solution prior to the video game as well as referred to David as well as Goliath and said, 'The main reason David was successful is he wasn't terrified. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I started presuming, am I putting anxiety into our fellas' hearts? Am I playing this incorrect? Our experts can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as anyone that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the sit back as well as made history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my mind as well as pointed out if our team shed the shake, our company are actually heading to begin. Our experts are actually mosting likely to kick it to him, and I prefer you to decrease as well as extra pound him. And also when our experts take their champ down, that's visiting send an information much like David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs coach, as well as of course he said we can cover, we can do this. Our team'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everyone intends to have their moment. No one wants to head out there and also merely mention, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or even our team didn't assist.' So it was actually shared, but in the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or 3 times before the game I rallied the guys to entice Coach Dungy. I stated, 'We may manage him. Our team'll be alright.' You can tell [Dungy] worried about doing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique staffs coordinator: "Every game that our experts possessed, it was regularly an inquiry of who is actually going to kick to him, who isn't visiting kick to him. We knew that they had actually talked about not kicking to him, but we always presumed as a personnel that they were mosting likely to boot to us in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Sunday evening. I pointed out, 'They're heading to boot the round right to us.'" An unforeseen hurricane moved right into the Miami area on game time as well as poured virtually one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester as well as the Bears kickoff yield group trot onto the industry to receive the position zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his confidence when he took the field was actually unreal. We took a considerable amount of pleasure in obstructing for him. Special staffs wasn't a chore. It didn't feel like you were being punished for certainly not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the field along with him in the gain game, it felt like, 'Man, our team may get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I remember seeing all these flashes hit when the ball is being began. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the closet room felt surreal. I have actually never experienced everything like it. It was like the flicks. There were actually Roman candlesticks being actually shot up and all the coal were coming down in funeral pace. It completely had me annoyed out. I came to the side project and also it resembled, 'Whoa, what simply occurred?' And afterwards our team succeed the coin throw and our team are actually obtaining. Talk about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I said if it uses completion area, receive that reception for him. That's what was in my thoughts since it was actually never ever performed, had never been done just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my mind that he will run a sphere back for a goal. It actually didn't. I've had two of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Green Bay Packers wide receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a goal. So it took place to me just before, but at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's heading to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Hall of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be aired on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our team did it. I assumed, we'll put him in the edge, our company'll attack him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll feel respectable regarding ourselves. And also is actually absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that came out of my mouth [when he observed the ball headed his way] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as ran up area to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian will get to handling him was safety Marlin Jackson, that was inches out of Hester, who sped up off of his comprehension. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid developed a gap for Hester to blow past the initial surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish logo as well as started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I just knew it. That's what he did. He outran everybody each time he carried out that. The center of the field was actually gold for Devin. They really did not would like to kick it down the middle to Devin, however they seemingly were actually thinking about it way too much, and also if you assume you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the area, I knew he was heading to credit rating." I always kept speaking about him residing in his garden [on the broadcast] I think I said, 'Coming from Riviera Beach to the most significant stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually absurd.'" Harris: "I bear in mind attacking a person, it was probably around the little bit of Super Dish logo design. I damaged this man and also type of saw [Devin] showing off through. And also when I reversed as well as I viewed he was out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I have actually reached go fulfill him.' So I only removed on a dead sprint since I understood he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our 1st surge of individuals, after that our experts have a safety and security on each side as well as me between. I understood I was as well far away coming from him. If I can acquire close good enough to him to a minimum of sluggish him down, possibly the interest might get to him. But he outwited the piss away from me, as well. That is actually the thing regarding Devin. When he has a little bit of room, keeping that dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and didn't touch him whatsoever, I was like 'damn.' It's comical due to the fact that after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive open area, so I knew correct after that and there certainly [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a situation where I was pinned to a side project and possessed the side project working against me. Our experts were in the open field, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin sought out. I was asking yourself why he was searching for later to know that he was actually examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and only slipped him up and also he tumbled into completion area for the goal." The Bears' momentum would advance the following travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took management in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the game along with a goal and our company believed it was actually heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly failed to wind up this way, even though our company appeared and we obtained a pick right after that, extremely. Our company presumed our experts possessed all sort of drive at that point and after that definitely it found yourself switching on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I assume the one point concerning that was it was actually the very first play of the video game. That actually done work in our advantage considering that if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a tough factor to recover from." However our experts had 4 quarters to recoup as well as place that behind our company. So, for us it was kind of like, 'All right, our team made an effort. Embarassment on us and afterwards we can easily maintain it moving right now.' Due to the fact that in the end, we knew offensively our company were actually going to record more than seven points, as well as I knew defensively our company were visiting keep all of them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is actually ignited as well as excited. Now when they begin to our company, their defense is actually visiting be actually coming a thousand miles an hour because the drive is currently on their side ... yet the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left in the activity, we knew it wasn't over by any means. Our company felt in one's bones that this is the guy that will certainly trash the game for us if our team don't avoid that. As well as clearly simply viewing that very first play was verification of that. Allow's not boot him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They obtained clever and also decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of returns during that game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner added to this file.